SeaQuest: The Saga 1 A Whiter Shade of Pale
by Mercedes Aria
Summary: Tell no secrets, tell no lies," is the motto of Kristin Westphalen and Wendy Smith is determined to find out why.
1. Chapter 1

"A Whiter Shade of Pale" occurs after the first season. As far as this story is concerned, the second and third seasons of seaQuest did not occur, though characters from all three seasons are present here. Please R&R if you find this interesting in any way; it will help me update sooner. Mahalo ^_^  
  
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Disclaimer: SeaQuest and related characters are the property of Amblin Entertainment. "A Whiter Shade Of Pale" and it lyrics are written by Keith Reid.  
  
The Non-Aligned Commonwealth and SEACOR are my creations as is Erika and Adam Corbin.  
  
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Chapter 1: New Beginnings  
  
Moorea, the South Pacific  
  
The second tour of seaQuest had begun two months ago under stressful conditions. After finally being rebuilt in early 2021, the tour had been delayed for five months due to an extorsion scandal within the UEO that had temporarily halted funding. To add to the UEO's internal problems, a new Secretary General, Adam Corbin, had been sworn in, and had placed people with questionable pasts in positions of great power. While the public and most politicians could find nothing wrong with him personally, the UEO's high ranking officals didn't trust him.This was due to the fact that there was circumstantial evidence linking Corbin to the Communist movement within the Southeast Asian Confederation of Refugees-SEACOR. SEACOR itself was posing problems for the UEO. Formed after the 2010 Wars, SEACOR had slowly evolved into a major player in world politics and had been in conflict with the UEO since 2015. Rumor of war with SEACOR had set the citizens of the UEO on edge.  
  
At the moment the crew of the seaQuest was taking a much needed break from the rigors of daily life on the submarine.  
  
Many of those from the first tour had returned. Jonathan Ford, Ben Krieg, Tim O'Neill, and Miguel Ortiz all resumed their duties. Even Katherine Hitchcock had decided to come back after a young lieutenant named Elenora Henderson had tried, and failed miserably, for her position. Lucas Wolenczack was back, a little older, a little wiser, but still the only "kid" amongst a sea of adults.  
  
To the old crew had been added Lt. James Brody as the Head of Security, JJ Fredericks, a "chippy" spector pilot, G.E.L.F. named Dagwood heading janitorial duties, and Anthony Piccolo, whose exact job was still to be determined.  
  
The only position left open was that of Chief Medical Officer and Head of the Science Department. Wendy Smith had been told by Admiral Noyce that her position was only temporary, but would not elaborated on the duration of her service or why the position was not permanent.  
  
The crew had gone off on their seperate ways soon after arriving in Moorea, an island not far from Tahiti. Lucas and Dagwood were attempting to surf. Neither was accomplishing much. Dagwood, at least, was getting some hang time. Lucas, however, was getting more of a lesson in holding his breath underwater than in surfing.  
  
SeaQuest's captain, Nathan Bridger, sat on a beach towel watching them. If he hadn't been wrapped up in his own thoughts he would have found the scene before him comical. Dr. Smith sat next to him talking away.  
  
Wendy chattered on even though she knew the captain wasn't listening. She didn't need her telepathic ability to clue into that. He was thinking about someone named Kristin. Or at least that was the name that kept jumping out at her. Not that she was scanning him, it was just that occassionally a cetain thought was so loud that she couldn't help but pick up on it. And the name "Kristin" practically screamed at her. In fact, the name stood out in the minds of the veteran crewmembers, but none so prominently as the Captain's and Lucas'.  
  
She began to run out of things to say and so sat quietly drawing shapes in the sand. As curious as she was about this Kristin, she didn't dare ask about her. The subject was nearly taboo. Lucas has said it once, she remembered. Shortly after the tour began, Lucas was in MedBay following a fight he had gotten into with Tony Piccolo. Bridger had accompanied him to see Wendy. The teen had suffered a few bruised ribs, nothing too serious, but the doctor had wanted to keep him overnight for observation. Lucas had been in a combatant mood and was furious with her for holding him; he had wanted to attend that night's poker game. Thoroughly frustrated Lucas had spat outat her, "I wouldn't have to stay here if Kristin were here!"  
  
The comment had garnered an angry look from the captain who told him that they would "discuss her later".  
  
Since then no one tell her anything about HER. Some didn't know anything- they didn't even know who the former Chief Medical Officer was, much less who Kristin was. Others simply refused to discuss it with her.  
  
As Dr. Smith reflected on these things, Katie Hitchcock came running down the beach towards them, upset and out of breath.  
  
Captain Bridger looked up with concern. "What's wrong?"  
  
Katie stopped and dropped to her knees. "Captain, we've lost contact with Jonathan and the Stinger!" 


	2. Chapter 2

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AN: I began writing this story when I was in eighth grade which was almost six years ago, so these first two chapters may not seem to be well written. I apologize and will correct this in all future chapters. And a big thank you to everyone who has reviewed thus far. I truly appreciate it! _______________________________________________________________________  
  
The senior staff returned to seaQuest in hopes of expediting the search for the executive officer.  
  
"Sir," Miguel said with his brow furrowed. "I'm picking up tremors ten miles north of here."  
  
Bridger stood up. "That's right where Commander Ford is. O'Neill, try to get Ford on the line again."  
  
Tim's fingers flew over the control panel. He grunted and shook his head in frustration.  
  
"I'm not getting a response. Just static."  
  
"Sir," Miguel cut in, " The tremors are headed this way."  
  
"Sound the collision alarm," Bridger commanded. "Time, Ortiz."  
  
"Ten seconds, sir."  
  
A loud klaxon alarm sounded and the bridge was bathed in red warning light.  
  
"Brace for impact," Bridger shouted over the alarm as he took his place.  
  
An instant later seaQuest was rattled to her hull. Three more waves hit with a violent force before Ortiz gave the all clear signal.  
  
"Damage report."  
  
It took a few moments before the Captain recieved a reply. Lt. Commander Katherine Hitchcock shook her head.  
  
"Minor damage to the outer skin. Nothing that can't wait to be repaired."  
  
"Good." Bridger said getting up once more. "Lieutenant, try hailing the Commander again."  
  
"Still nothing, sir."  
  
Bridger sighed and began pacing the bridge. "Mr. Ortiz, what do you see?"  
  
"Not much, sir. There's a lot of debris from the tremors floating around. Water's pretty murky." Miguel shrugged and rubbed his temples. He was about to say more when Tim cut in.  
  
"Sir, I'm picking up a distress signal from the Stinger."  
  
"Get a lock on that signal, Lieutenant."  
  
Motioning to his security chief, Bridger said, "Brody, you, Krieg, and Shan assemble a rescue team and get out to the cooridinates that Mr. O'Neill gives you."  
  
"Sir," Tim interuppted again. "I'm recieving another signal. I think it's the alert that the escape pod was activated, but I can't be sure."  
  
"We'll check that out. Thank you." Bridger turned to his other officers. "Hitchcock, O'Neill, Ortiz, you're with me. We'll search the surface in case the Commander did get to the escape pod."  
  
As his crew came to life and jumped into action, Bridger hit the comm. "Dr. West-," he caught himself before he said Westphalen. Pushing down feelings that tried to surface, Bridger corrected himself, "Dr. Smith, you're needed in the Launch Bay."  
  
"Aye, sir," was the disembodied reply.  
  
"Captain," said a young blond boy as the Captain exited the bridge. "Can I- "  
  
"Lucas, tell Darwin and Piccolo that we need them help look for the commander." Bridger kept walking without so much as glancing at the boy.  
  
"Then meet us in the Launch Bay. You have two minutes."  
  
"I'll be there in one." Lucas smiled and took off.  
  
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Brody and his team reached the wreckage site and were dismayed to find that Commander was no where in site. They scoured the area and floating peices of metal that was once the Stinger. The Stinger, it seemed, had collided with a transport liner. A search produced no survivors. After doing all they could, Bridger called them upworld to help with the search there.  
  
The sky was gray and threatening; a storm loomed on the horizon. The search lasted an hour and a half before the sky poured down its fury. The crew of the seaQuest was forced to abandon its hunt for its missing member. They retreated to the cabin that had been reserved for their shore leave.  
  
Brody glanced over shoulder at the surf. He blinked and looked again. He thought he saw two figures in the distance.  
  
"Hey, Tony," he said, nudging the person next to him. "Do you see what I see?"  
  
Tony looked in the direction that Brody was pointing. "Only if you see two people comin' this way."  
  
"That's exactly what I see."  
  
Brody alerted the Captain and then took Tony and Krieg with him to offer assistance. They reached the figures just as they both collapsed.  
  
One was a woman, struggling to lift the other, a man, to his feet again.  
  
"Whoa, we got him," Brody said as Krieg and Piccolo took the man from her.  
  
"Hey," Tony exclaimed in surprise. "It's the commander!"  
  
Brody didn't know what to say to their sudden luck. "Good. Let's get them back."  
  
"Be careful with him," the woman said hoarsely.  
  
"We will, ma'am," Brody assured her. He attempted to carry the woman back to the cabin, but she stubbornly refused. Not knowing what else to do, he put his arm around her waist to give her support. Krieg and Piccolo tried to carry Ford as gently and securly as they could. The woman leaned heavily against Brody who contemplated carrying her anyway. She was soaked to the skin. Her dark hair stuck to her face and her T-shirt and cut-off jeans clung damply to her body as shivers convulsed her body. Krieg directed Tony to the launch. They were taking him immedately back to seaQuest without even alerting Dr. Smith.  
  
Jim took the woman to the cabin and headed for the den where the rest of the crew was. She shuddered against him before collapsing from exhaustion. He picked her up with ease and carried her the rest of the way into the room.  
  
"Hey, a little help here," he called out. Katie and Wendy reached him first.  
  
"Bring her to the couch," Wendy commanded. "I need a blanket and a Med kit now!"  
  
While Lucas went off to retrieve the items, Wendy checked the woman's pulse. Katie brushed the woman's hair away from her face. Her eyes widened. She sucked in her breath sharply.  
  
Wendy looked at her. "What is it?"  
  
Katie ignored her, as was often the case.  
  
"Captain!" she called urgently.  
  
The Captain came rushing in moments later. He started to question Katie when he saw the woman's face. His face was flooded with mixed emotion.  
  
"Kristin?!"  
  
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It was several hours later when the woman identified as Kristin Westphalen woke up. The captain, Wendy observed, stayed by her side the entire time. Some of the time he sat by her side. Some of the time he paced the room. And some of the time he stood back a ways and stared at her as though she were a ghost from his past.  
  
Perhaps, in a way, she was. Wendy now knew a few things about the former CMO and head of the science department that Lucas grudgingly told her after Kristin's identification had been confirmed.  
  
According to Lucas, Kristin had been a mother figure to him. So much so that he had been positive that she would always be there for him unlike his own parents. But, he was wrong. The last time he had seen the former CMO. was a month after the destruction of the original seaQuest. Kristin had been packing her things, preparing to leave, when Lucas went to see her. He thought that if he begged her not to leave that she would stay with him. But she had only laughed and smiled warmly at him. She had brushed his bangs out of his face with her hand and promised to keep in touch. She then kissed his forehead, handed him an envelope, and left. Lucas did not go into detail about the letter the envelope had contained. He only said that he had read and re-read her letter over and over until it was on the verge of falling apart. Then he had waited and waited- waited for two years and never heard from her again. Wendy could sense the feelings of anger and betrayal that he still felt. Captain Bridger had assured him repeatedly that Kristin would return with the next tour.  
  
While Wendy had a million questions to ask Lucas about Kristin, but remained silent. So rarely did he ever talk to her, that she was afraid if she interupted him, he would never finish his story.  
  
Bridger told him shortly before the second tour that Kristin had promised to return two years prior and that Bridger himself had not actually talked to the Doctor in all the time that had passed, except for the occassional correspondence via email- and those communications halted abruptly four months before the second tour. Lucas didn't have to tell Wendy that the Captain had clung to Kristin's promise during that entire period of time. Lucas suspected that the captain knew long before the second tour that she was not going to keep that promise. He abruptly clammed up after that. Wendy prodded him for more information, but he only shot her a nasty look and thought before leaving.  
  
Kristin stirred and opened her, blinking sleepily. A startled look came into her eyes when she saw Bridger standing over her. She quickly replace it with a smile. She and the Captain exchanged a few words. Bridger appeared uncertain how to react to her. Kristin yawned and stretched lazily. She began to sit up when the captain stopped her. She pushed his hand away and continued to sit up.  
  
Wendy walked over to them. Bridger glanced at her then back at Kristin.  
  
"Kris, this is Dr. Wendy Smith. She's been taking care of things for you."  
  
Wendy, suddenly very afraid for her position on seaQuest, held out her hand. After a moment's hestitation, Kristin took it. Her hand was thin but surprisingly strong.  
  
Bridger excused himself and left the two women alone.  
  
"Doctor," Wendy began, trying to sound authoritative. "I think it would be best if you rested now. You don't need to be up and about."  
  
Kristin looked at the young doctor with an arched eyebrow. Oh really? her eyes seemed to say. And who are you to tell me that?  
  
Wendy swallowed. Kristin Westphalen would want her position on seaQuest back. She was obviously not someone who would play second-string to anyone.  
  
Kristin remained silent looking about the room. Wendy took the opprotunity to size the doctor up. Kristin was of average height and very thin. She had golden-brown tan- the color of the natives Wendy had seen on the islands. The sun had taken her auburn hair and streaked it with flaming red hilights with hints of blond here and there. It was slightly longer than shoulder- length. Only the laugh lines around her eyes and mouth gave any indication to her age.  
  
Kristin's gaze finally came to rest on the younger woman. It was the first time Wendy had really looked into those brown eyes. They were haunted eyes. No,no. They were hauntING eyes. In all her dealings with people, Wendy had never seen such eyes before.  
  
The seaQuest crew chose that moment to burst into the room. They all began talking at once as they crowded around Kristin. Wendy was pushed to the back and forgotten. She realized that it was only natural due to the fact that she did not know Kristin. She took a seat in the corner of the room and watched the reunion. She was content until she realized that Brody, and JJ Fredericks were all equally involved in the hoopla and they had not known Kristin prior to that moment. Maybe they did know her before now, Wendy consoled herself, but she knew they had not. Once again she was left out of things.  
  
The captian allowed things to go on for a while longer before telling everyone to back off and let Kristin breathe. The silence didn't last long as they all wanted to know what had happened and how she managed to come across Jonathan. Bridger said nothing. He was just as curious.  
  
"The Stinger was caught underneath the Hertfordshire when she crashed during the quake," Kristin explained.  
  
"The Hertfordshire," Jim echoed. "Sounds British."  
  
Kristin agreed. "There is a town in England called Hertfordshire."  
  
"That explains your accent," JJ chimed in. "You'd be British, right."  
  
No one asked how she knew about Jonathan or the Stinger. No asked if she had been on the Hertfordshire. They just assumed that she was.  
  
Kristin didn't answer the question with words. She just smiled in a way that implied that JJ was right.  
  
Wendy had a thousand questions that she wanted to ask Dr. Westphalen, but she never got the opprotunity to ask them. Kristin excused herself, saying that she was very tired and wanted to go to sleep. Several of the crew offered her their rooms, but she stubbornly refused. She settled herself down on the couch and Wendy followed the Captain out onto the lanai. Ever since the tour had begun, something had been bothering him. Wendy once tried to scan the Captain, but he didn't react kindly to people in his head. With the mystery surrounding the former CMO, Wendy found it almost impossible not to scan people and Bridger knew it. He had even gone so far as to bring aboard a civilian telepath to prevent her from even accidently scanning any of crew.  
  
Wendy hesitated in disrupting the captian's thoughts.  
  
"Captain?"  
  
He glanced over his shoulder at her, then returned his gaze to the oceanic view before him.  
  
"Yes, Doctor?"  
  
"I think we need to talk."  
  
"About what."  
  
"About Kristin. You-"  
  
"No," he said coldly putting an end to the discussion.  
  
Color flooded her cheeks. Wendy bit her lip and slowly walked back into the house.  
  
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The next morning Wendy padded down to the kitchen and found that Kristin was already awake. She was sitting in the large breakfast nook with Captain Bridger and Lucas. It appeared that whatever feelings of anger or betrayal that was felt by either of them were now forgotten. As Wendy poured herself a cup of coffee Kristin waved her over. Neither the captain or Lucas acknowledge her. Only Kristin looked at her. To Wendy she seemed to be smiling slyly, looking almost smug. It could have been Wendy's imagination, but maybe it wasn't. Whatever it was, Wendy felt something tug at her. The green-eyed monster of jealously?  
  
People began to trickle in, getting breakfast and looking half dead. They crowded around Kristin again and when Wendy returned from getting a bowl of cereal she found that Katie had taken her place.  
  
Soon everyone, except Dagwood who stood by Wendy, was seated near Kristin. Looking like a little boy, Dagwood turned to Wendy and said, "Dagwood like Dr. Kristin. Mmm, she's pretty."  
  
"Hmph," Wendy replied. It was obvious that Dagwood wanted to go over to the others, but couldn't decide what to do.  
  
Then, as if on cue, Kristin looked up at the GELF, smiled warmly and waved him over. Dagwood shyly returned her smile and lumber over to the table. 


	3. Chapter 3

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In Loving Memory of ~Jonathan Gregory Brandis: 1976-2003~  
  
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"I don't believe this!" Jonathan Ford moaned with a hint of a smile. He had woken up a half an hour ago from a sedative-induced sleep. "Are telling me I owe my life to HER?!  
  
"Wonderful to see you again, too, Commander," Kristin winked at him. "How are you feeling?"  
  
"Like I just crashed into the side of ship," he told the woman on the vid- link. "Very, very sore."  
  
"No kidding." Kristin glanced down at something in her hand. "You were lucky to come out of that with only minor injuries. A mild concussion, three broken ribs, and a lot of bumps and bruises."  
  
Jonathan groaned, wondering how long he would be on medical leave.  
  
As if reading his thoughts, Kristin smiled. "If you stick to bed rest faithfully, you should be up and about in a eight weeks. Don't try to rush recovery and it may be less than that."  
  
He studied the doctor for a moment before speaking again. "Does this mean I'm indebted to you now?"  
  
"Absolutely," she responded immediately.  
  
"You're not going to let me live this down either are you?" he asked, referring to their opposing viewpoints on science versus military.  
  
"Not a chance." Kristin's eyes sparkled mischievously.  
  
"So, am I going to be able to rejoin you guys upworld or am I stuck down here?"  
  
"I think it's best if you stay put, Jonathan," Wendy Smith cut in before Kristin could respond. As she saw it, she was still the CMO and therefore Ford should be speaking to her, not Kristin.  
  
Jonathan gave Smith an odd look. He hadn't noticed that she was there before. He looked back at Kristin, who shrugged.  
  
"Come on," he appealed. "Wouldn't fresh air and sunlight be better that recycled air and artificial lighting?"  
  
Wendy shook her head firmly. "No, you need to be under observation."  
  
"Kristin?" Jonathan looked to the other doctor for a second opinion.  
  
"If it were up to me," she said, "I would arrange for you to join us here. Of course," she shot a look over at Wendy, "if I thought it absolutely necessary for you to remain on seaQuest, I would join you there, not remain on shore..." She let her words trail off as she folded her arms across her waist.  
  
Ford noticed Wendy visibly bristle at Kristin's words.  
  
"Fine," he huffed, none to pleased with his situation.  
  
Wendy, with a displeased glare at Kristin, left the vision field of the vidlink.  
  
"She gone?" Jonathan asked straining to make sure.  
  
Kristin nodded.  
  
"Could you talk to the Captain, Kris? I'm gonna go crazy if I have to stay here!"  
  
"Don't worry, Jonathan," she smiled reassuringly. "You'll be with us shortly."  
  
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Jim Brody stepped through the French doors of the lodge, out onto the lanai and did a double take.  
  
"Jon? What are you doing here?"  
  
Jonathan grinned at his friend's surprise. "The woman's a saint."  
  
"Huh?" Jim stared at him.  
  
"Kristin," he said simply.  
  
"Oh," Jim replied, plopping down in the empty chair next to the commander. "Smith know you're here?"  
  
The corner of Jonathan's mouth turned up in a devilish smirk. "Uh-huh. And she's not too pleased that Kristin overrode her decision."  
  
"No kiddin," Jim chuckled. "So does this mean we'll have a new CMO when we headed back out?"  
  
"Probably," the commander replied, gingerly shifting his position try to inflict as little pain upon his tender ribs as possible. "I'm sure Kristin'll want her old position back."  
  
"Good. I'll admit that I'm more comfortable with Kristin anyway."  
  
Ford looked over at his friend in amusement. "Humph, that's because you've never had the misfortune of getting on her bad side."  
  
"What bad side are you referring to?"  
  
Jim and Jonathan turned in their seats to see Kristin walking out onto the lanai.  
  
"I didn't say a thing," Jonathan grinned at her.  
  
She gave him a playful swat and walked over the porch rail.  
  
Jim jumped up. "Wanna join us, Doctor?" he asked, gesturing to his now empty seat.  
  
Kristin waved her hand in front of her. "No, no. I was headed out for walk."  
  
"Are you sure?"  
  
"Yes, quite. Thank you, though, Jim." Kristin cast a sidelong glance at Ford. "Besides don't think your friend here wants me around."  
  
Jonathan gave her an innocent "I-don't-know-what-you're-talking-about" look. "Aw, Kris, if you wanna stay. I can tolerate it."  
  
Kristin rolled her eyes skyward. "Yes, well, I'm not sure I could tolerate it."  
  
She smiled at Jim before leaving the lanai for the beach.  
  
Jim watched her go, then sat back down on the lounge chair.  
  
"What was that all about?"  
  
Jonathan laughed. "Just a continuation of the science versus military stand- off we had on the last tour." He paused for a moment, looking slightly uncomfortable. "Of course, last tour the arguments were real and so was her anger." He glanced at Jim. "You really don't want to get on her bad side!"  
  
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Though her gait was non-chalant, Kristin had a definite reason for taking a walk. Her eyes scanned the beach until they found what she was looking for. In the distance a figure sat hunkered down on a large piece of driftwood.  
  
"Hey, there, sailor," she murmured quietly, stopping a short distance behind the figure.  
  
Lucas turned and blinked at her. A smile kissed his lips. "Hey, Kris," he said as blond bangs fell into his eyes as he watched her kneel beside him.  
  
"We haven't gotten much of a chance to talk." Kristin placed her hand on his arm to balance herself.  
  
"Things have been a little crazy lately," he responded, trying to be unsuccessfully flippant about it.  
  
"Yeah, they have been." The doctor found it difficult to maintain eye contact with him. She had to look away from his intense gaze.  
  
"Look, Lucas," she tried again. "I know you must be pretty upset with me for not keeping my promise, huh?"  
  
It was Lucas who looked away this time.  
  
"Not really," he shrugged, clasping his hands together.  
  
Kristin squeezed his arm lightly. She knew him too well to believe him on this. "Lucas."  
  
He looked at her again, taking in the details of her face- the face he had missed so much. The feelings of hurt, anger, betrayal, and despair he had once carried so intensely began to bubble around the surface. But as he studied her eyes, those emotions dissipated. She was back and that was all he cared about. He tried to find his voice to tell her these things, but no words came. He shrugged again.  
  
Kristin sighed. "You have every right to be angry with me."  
  
Lucas shook his head. "I'm not," he finally got out. He paused, his mouth twisting into a frown. "At least not anymore."  
  
"But you were."  
  
Lucas turned fully to face her. "Yeah, at first. Kris, you made a promise and then you broke it. But worse than that you never wrote."  
  
Her face looked so pained that Lucas wished he hadn't said anything. "I know, I know. For some reason I thought it would be best if I left you alone. I knew early on that I wouldn't be back, so I thought perhaps you'd forget and that would be best."  
  
The boy's frown deepened. "How could that be for the best?" He fidgeted with the button on his sleeve, blinking back the tears that threatened to fall. "And anyway I'd never be able to forget you."  
  
Kristin could barely hear his last words as his voice had dropped to nearly inaudible tones. The slight smile on her lips was tinged with sadness. Had Lucas been looking at her at that instant he would have that she was very clearly torn over something. However, by the time he faced her again, her expression had cleared, though the sad smile lingered.  
  
"Why didn't you come back?"  
  
The doctor drew in a ragged breath. Though she knew the question was certain come up, she found that she was ill-prepared to answer it. She looked Lucas helplessly.  
  
Panic lit his eyes when she didn't answer. "Was it because of me?"  
  
Kristin opened her mouth, then closed it again, too stunned to respond.  
  
"Darling, of course not!" she exclaimed after regaining her composure. She reached out her hand to push his shaggy mane out of his eyes. When she did, she saw the vulnerability glistening in his eyes. "Didn't you get my letter?"  
  
Lucas nodded but did not seem to be consoled much.  
  
"Did something happen with you and the Captain?"  
  
Kristin shook her head. "No, it was nothing like that."  
  
"Then why?"  
  
"I-I," the doctor pressed her lips into a thin line. "I had responsibilities that I left behind when I joined seaQuest; responsibilities I had no business leaving. I've not handle things too well since then. Breaking my promise to you was inexcusable and I had no right to make it in the first place. I'm so sorry. I hope you'll be able to forgive me."  
  
"Of course, I do, Doc," he smiled, wrapping his arms around her neck. "I'm just glad you're back." _______________________________________________________________________  
  
Wendy was on the lanai when Kristin returned with Lucas. She was surprised to see Lucas's arm draped around Kristin's waist and smiling. She could sense none of the early feelings of apprehension from Lucas.  
  
Kristin met Wendy's gaze over the top of Lucas's head and raised any eyebrow at the frown on the younger woman's face.  
  
"Lucas, love," Kristin cooed, squeezing his shoulder. "Why don't you go find Nathan for me? I think I need to explain myself to him, too."  
  
"Sure, Kris." Lucas was oblivious to the mounting tension in the room.  
  
"Is there a problem?" Kristin asked pointedly, turning on Wendy after Lucas had left the room.  
  
Wendy felt her spine stiffen. "Maybe."  
  
"Really? Perhaps we should talk then?"  
  
Wendy took a step back. She didn't care for the look on Kristin's face.  
  
"Come now, Wendy," Kristin prodded. "You'll feel better if you talk."  
  
Though she tried to break free from the other doctor's penetrating gaze, Wendy found it impossible. She continued backing up until her back was against a wall and she could go nowhere else. Kristin did not move; she merely observed Dr. Smith's unusual behavior.  
  
"Are you feeling alright, Wendy?" Kristin sounded genuinely concerned.  
  
The temperature of the room seemed to have risen suddenly and sweat beads formed on her temples and upper lip. Wendy was desperate to get away- away from those eyes.  
  
"I-I...to go," she stammered dumbly.  
  
Kristin shook her head as she watched the young doctor stumble out of the room.  
  
"Not very together," she murmured to herself. "Perhaps her position is a bit too much for her to handle."  
  
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Wendy's confusion and panic finally subsided once she was locked away in her room. She slumped down on the floor by her mosquito-net encased bed. She sat in silence for several minutes as her mind calmed and she was able to focus on her disturbing encounter with Kristin Westphalen.  
  
From the moment she had met the other doctor, Wendy knew there was something wrong, but she had never been able to pinpoint the reason until now. What had so distressed her was the fact that she could not sense Kristin. Given her heightened telepathic abilities, Wendy was able to sense, without scanning, the minds of those around her. But she could not pick up anything from Kristin.  
  
That in itself was not necessarily a cause for alarm. However, Wendy's curiosity had gotten the best of her and, while in the kitchen, had attempted to scan Kristin and was immediately shut down by a powerful mental wall.  
  
Wendy stood up abruptly and walked over to the bay window. In the distance, she saw Kristin strolling arm-in-arm with Nathan down the beach. Her eyes darkened as the scene invoked a whirlpool of emotion within her.  
  
Something was not right about the former CMO and Wendy tried to decide whom she should tell. 


	4. Chapter 4

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Thank you so much to everyone who has reviewed. I'm so glad that you are enjoying this! I'm having fun writing it!  
  
Unfortunately, this chapter will be short. I wanted to get it up because with Finals fast approaching, I may have trouble writing much in the next few weeks. Happy Holidays!!!  
  
Teresa, to answer your question: this is my version of the second season (as it should have been, I think. lol) Takes place two years after the end of season one. (I'm so glad that you like the way Kristin is written.! :D)  
  
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The next morning when Wendy trudged into the living room and discovered Nathan and Kristin asleep on the sofa- her head on his shoulder, his arm around her, and the TV droning on with infomercials- she should have realized that he was not the person to discuss her suspicions with. He was too close to the perceived problem.  
  
Wendy waited impatiently for a chance to get the Captain away from Kristin and speak to him privately. It was nearly ten o'clock before Kristin headed up to her room to shower and change clothes. As the other crewmembers milled around the lodge, still groggy from a late night out, Wendy lost sight of Nathan and had to wait a bit longer while he spoke with Commander Ford.  
  
During her wait, she managed to overhear an interesting conversation between Krieg and Hitchcock.  
  
"Did you see those two this morning?" Ben chuckled, his eyes dancing playfully at his former wife.  
  
"Uh-huh." Katie sipped her coffee, trying to hide her delighted grin. "I'm so glad Kristin is back."  
  
"You and me both, and I think the Captain's pretty glad, too."  
  
"You think they'll get together this time?"  
  
Ben shrugged. "Oh, I'm sure of it. Though I'll admit I'm a little disappointed in not getting to play Cupid."  
  
Katie raised her eyebrows in surprise. "What are you talking about?"  
  
"I just think it would have been fun to play matchmaker that's all."  
  
Katie laughed. "I hope you won't have to. Your plans usually backfire."  
  
Ben feigned injury. "Katie, baby. How can you say that?"  
  
"Easily," she replied with a smirk. "I've seen it happen many, many times."  
  
"It's pretty romantic, isn't it?" Ben walked over to her and gave her a friendly side-hug.  
  
"What?" Katie looked confused. "Your plans?"  
  
"No, no," Ben waved his hand in front of him. "The captain and the doctor."  
  
"Oh, that. Yeah, it is."  
  
"It's like it makes up for Picard and Crusher not getting together," Ben went on with a faraway look in his eyes.  
  
"What on earth are you talking about?" Katie sounded thoroughly befuddled.  
  
"You know," Ben rolled his eyes as though he couldn't believe she didn't get it. "On Star Trek: The Next Generation. Their captain and doctor never made it. Ours did. Makes up for it."  
  
Katie shook her head and laughed affectionately. "You make zero sense sometimes, Ben."  
  
"Ah, but you love me all the same," he said flippantly as he took his coffee and headed outside.  
  
"Yeah, I do," she said softly, watching him go.  
  
Katie's final words were lost on Wendy. Her mind was already reeling at the implication of Ben's words. He was wrong wasn't he- about Nathan and Kristin. They were only colleagues. Her thoughts jumped back to last month when Tony began a rumor that she and Nathan were, well, more than colleagues. Ben's words upset her more than they should have.  
  
Wendy just knew she had to warn the Captain about Kristin. He had barely finished his conversation with Jonathan when she whisked him away, telling him that it was absolutely imperative that she speak with him.  
  
_____________________________________________________________________  
  
"What exactly are you accusing Kristin of?" Nathan Bridger folded his arms across his chest, looking none too pleased with the young doctor.  
  
Wendy bit her bottom lip. She hadn't quite thought that through completely. "I can't say exactly right now, Captain. But there is something wrong. I can feel it."  
  
Bridger's displeasure was evident. He covered his frown with his hand as he regarded Wendy with a guarded gaze.  
  
"I'm sorry," he said finally, shaking his head. "But I know Kristin very well, Dr. Smith, and I'm going to need more than just your feelings to convince me that something is wrong."  
  
Wendy cringed at his formal referral to her when he normally called her by her first name. "But, sir, I-"  
  
"I suggest you drop this topic," Bridger admonished, cutting her off. "You may not like that Dr. Westphalen is back, but that is no reason to be making up accusations like this. Now if you'll excuse me."  
  
There was nothing that Wendy could say immediately and by the time she could, the captain was gone. She was stunned. He didn't even take her seriously, much less believe her. He even implied that she was jealous of Kristin. And that was absurd. Wendy sighed. She needed to do a more thorough investigation.  
  
_______________________________________________________________________  
  
Kristin was reclining on the sofa in the living room, staring at the television but not paying much attention to it. She and Katie had been spending a lazy day of catching up and doing nothing, when Ben came in to see them for a few minutes, before he headed to Tahiti; he would be gone for three days.  
  
Katie, she recalled, seemed a bit anxious to hear that he would be gone for so long. Kristin had watched quietly while Katie offhandedly asked him if he would mind her going with him.  
  
Ben had grinned devilishly at her. "Jealous I might meet a pretty island girl?" he had teased her.  
  
"Of course not," Katie had sniffed. "I don't care what you do. I just want to see Tahiti."  
  
Her ex-husband had seemed slightly disappointed, but quickly hid it. Kristin didn't buy it, however, not from either one of them.  
  
Now she smiled to herself as she thought about them, wondering how long they would run in circles around each other.  
  
*They may just need a helpful prod in the right direction later on,* she mused as she picked up the remote control.  
  
Wendy hesitated in the doorway to the living room, unsure if she was prepared for another one-on-one encounter with Kristin.  
  
"Don't lurk in doorways, Wendy," Kristin's gaze never wavered from the TV screen. "It's rude."  
  
Wendy was so badly startled by Kristin's voice that she involuntarily jumped backwards.  
  
Summoning up all her courage, she stepped fully into the room to where Kristin could see her. It was a little unnerving that the doctor continued watching TV, but Wendy finally managed to squeak something intelligent out.  
  
"I just came to apologize for yesterday."  
  
This caught Kristin's attention. Those eyes that so frightened Wendy gazed up her from the pillow. The thin face, half-lost in a flood of auburn hair seemed to belong to someone from another world.  
  
"Yes," Kristin acknowledged. "We did get started on the wrong foot."  
  
"We did," Wendy hesitantly sat at the end of the couch Kristin was lying on. "I'd like to start over."  
  
"Of course," Kristin's eyes seemed to deepen a shade. "That would be best."  
  
Wendy sighed with relief. She smiled warmly while trying to avoid Kristin's hypnotic gaze. Then suddenly remembering something, Wendy jumped up.  
  
"I have someone I want you to meet," she told Kristin. "Just a second."  
  
"Who is it?" Kristin asked, pulling herself into a sitting position. Her voice then went strangely flat. "Oh," she remarked when she saw the little Jack Russell Terrier Wendy was leading into the room. "It's a dog."  
  
"Not just any dog," Wendy stated proudly. "He's the sweetest you'll ever meet. Never even growled at anyone. "Deceitful though." She laughed. "He's not supposed to be here."  
  
Wendy looked up to see Kristin's reaction to the stowaway dog. The other doctor's body seemed to stiffen. "I don't get on well with dogs. They don't like me much."  
  
"Nikki will," Wendy assured her, a bit confused with Kristin's response. "He loves everyone."  
  
"Just keep him away from me," Kristin warned. Her eyes appeared completely black. "I mean it, Wendy."  
  
"You can't seriously be afraid of him," Wendy cried incredulously, pulling Nikki close. "He wouldn't hurt anyone. He-"  
  
"Get him out of here!" Kristin demanded. Her voice slashed through the room like a whip.  
  
"All right," Wendy replied, startled. "If you're really that frightened."  
  
Then she heard a sound, low and gravelly. It was something she had never heard in the four years Nikki had been with her. In amazement, Wendy stared at her dog. His head was lowered, his ears were pinned back, and his lips were drawn away from his teeth. He was growling at Kristin.  
  
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The final event that made the day even worse occurred later in the evening after dinner.  
  
Wendy was rounding a corner in the hallway when she heard it- a low, rumbling thunder, followed by a yelp and a stifled shriek. Then a women's voice rose in a cry of fury.  
  
"You bloody mongrel!!! I'll get you good for that!!"  
  
It took a moment before Wendy realized that the words had come from Kristin Westphalen.  
  
"What on earth-" Wendy muttered to herself and broke into a run. When she reached the back porch she saw Dr. Westphalen sitting on the floor tightly clutching her right ankle. Captain Bridger knelt beside her, clearly concerned and angry. Lucas was also bent over her.  
  
"What is it?" Wendy demanded. "What happened?"  
  
"That stupid dog of yours!" Kristin cried in a voice so choked with outrage that Wendy could scarcely understand her. "He flung himself out and bit me!"  
  
Kristin turned her head and laid on Bridger's shoulder. She began to sob in pain.  
  
"This is your dog?" Captain Bridger snapped at her. Anger flashed in his eyes as he cradled Kristin close. "Y-yes, sir," Wendy stammered still in shock. "But he never would have bitten anyone. I can't believe it."  
  
"Believe it," he replied sullenly. Kristin lifted her hands and Wendy caught her breath as she saw the blood gushing from the deep tooth marks in the tanned flesh just above Kristin's anklebone.  
  
It was this incident, that confirmed to Wendy that something was terribly, terribly wrong about Kristin Westphalen.  
  
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Well, there it is. Enjoy J I'm sort of curious to know your opinions on the current situation. What's up with Wendy? What do you think of Kristin? Any comments on the situation between the two women. Oh, and Ben and Katie. What is going on with them? Please review. I keep in mind all suggestions when I write so if you don't tell me what you wanna see, I can't make it happen! Lol J 


	5. Chapter 5

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AN: James Michener's mythical island Paradise of Bali Hai was said to be based on the island of Moorea, Tahiti's sister island. For the purpose of this tale, Bali Hai is an island close to Moorea. Though I may write Bali Hai very differently from Mr. Michener, it is still his island.  
  
The lyrics and music to the song "Bali Hai" from the musical "The South Pacific" were by the talented duo of Rodgers and Hammerstein.  
  
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For the damage that had been done to Kristin's ankle from Nikki's bite, the doctor was getting around well, as Wendy found out the next day as she trailed Kristin around Moorea. Too well. While she had her ankle bound tightly, she walked normally.  
  
Wendy decided to follow Kristin after the incident with Nikki. She knew there was something amiss for the dog she raised from a puppy to attack someone. The dog had never shown any aggression towards anything, much less blatant dislike of a very much-liked woman like Kristin. She felt strongly that her dog knew something about the doctor and was determined to find out what. Before the shore leave, Wendy was working on bridging the telepathic gap between humans and animals. Experimentation had only just begun and was incomplete, but Wendy wanted to do some testing on Nikki in hopes of discovering what he knew. However, Wendy could not find her dog that morning. No matter how much she called him or tried to bribe him with food, he would not come to her. Wendy figured he was still hiding after his ordeal with Kristin.  
  
Wendy herself felt like hiding after the verbal lashing Bridger had given her. She was greatly saddened that she would have to give Nikki up. The Captain had made it vibrantly clear that the dog was not allowed anywhere near Kristin and under no circumstances was he to return to seaQuest with Wendy. As hard as it would be to leave her puppy behind, it was better than Bridger's original sentence- he had wanted the dog put to sleep.  
  
Without Katie to bum around with, Kristin did not linger long on Moorea. She quickly headed for the docks and boarded a small white fishing vessel. Wendy had to hurry to keep up with her and not get left behind. She was determined to find out more about Kristin Westphalen.  
  
The boat Kristin got on, turned out to be a type of ferry that was taking locals to the nearby island of Bali Hai. It also turned out to only ferry locals; Wendy had an incredibly difficult time persuading the captain to let her on. No matter how she pleaded, the old man steadfastly refused to let her on. He spoke in a tongue Wendy had no knowledge of, but by the sneer on his face and rather rude gesture at her skin she got his message loud and clear- locals ONLY.  
  
Frustrated, she blurted out, "I have to find Kristin Westphalen."  
  
Whether or not the captain understood everything she said, he understood Kristin's name. His eyes widened in surprise. He glanced over his shoulder at the other doctor- he seemed angry when he looked back at Wendy.  
  
"O vai to oe i'oa!?" he demanded, black eyes flashing.  
  
"Wha-?" was Wendy's stunned response. "I-I don't understand."  
  
"Ihea oe e faeia ai!?" he shrilled advancing towards her.  
  
Wendy looked around her desperately.  
  
"Tunui!" a new voice snapped from behind her. "Eaha te tumu?"  
  
Wendy turned around to see a beautiful Polynesian girl standing behind her with her hands on her hips. The girl was frowning beyond Wendy to the old man.  
  
The captain looked sheepish but still stubborn.  
  
The two exchanged a few words, before the girl turned to Wendy with a bright smile.  
  
"Please forgive," she said extending her hand in a friendly gesture. "It is not often that visitors ask to visit Bali Hai. But if you are with Kristin, then you are welcomed."  
  
Wendy took the girl's hand.  
  
"My name is Marania," she grinned, helping Wendy onto the boat. "Tunui," she nodded at the captain. "Simply wants to know what your name is and where you are from."  
  
"Oh," Wendy replied, mystified by the situation. "I'm Dr. Wendy Smith, Chief Medical Officer of seaQuest DSV."  
  
Marania regarded her skeptically, then nodded. "Yes. I see. You are a friend of Dr. Kris, no?"  
  
"Well," Wendy contemplated the question. Friend wasn't exactly the most accurate description of her relationship with Kristin. "We're colleagues."  
  
"Good, good." Marania gestured for Wendy to sit down next to her.  
  
"How do you know Kristin?" Wendy asked.  
  
Marania looked to Tunui who shook his head fervently.  
  
"Haere mai!" he snapped, shooting her a fierce look.  
  
"Excuse me," Marania smiled apologetically.  
  
Wendy frowned. How strange she thought. Marania was gone for several minutes and Wendy took that time to look for Kristin. She did not want the doctor to discover that she was here. Kristin, however, was nowhere in sight.  
  
After a few minutes Marania returned and seated herself next to Wendy. Marania was pleasant to talk to and very deft at maneuvering around questions related to Kristin and avoiding the topic altogether. During their conversation, Wendy took the time to study the island girl.  
  
Marania was a tall girl with beautiful brown sugar skin. Her hair was as black as space, as radiant as a diamond, and hung well below her waist. She was blessed with the curves of a Polynesian goddess and the face of an angel. And her eyes.  
  
Those eyes! Wendy's own eyes went wide and she inhaled so sharply that she began to cough. Marania's eyes were obsidian replicas of Kristin's eyes. They were so dark and deep that Wendy could see no reflection of light within them.  
  
"Wendy," Marania's voice startled the doctor from her thoughts. "I must warn you about something. Bali Hai is not a an island that is open to." The girl frowned, trying to decide how to phrase her thoughts. "Tourists. Outsiders are not welcomed. Is it really so important for you to go?"  
  
Wendy stared at the girl. Now she was certain that the answers she was searching for lay within Bali Hai.  
  
"It's very important that I find Dr. Westphalen." Wendy prayed silently that she would not be asked why for she had no excuse prepared.  
  
Marania nodded, her eyes still devoid of emotion. "If you insist. But I must stress that you will not find your journey to be an easy one."  
  
Wendy sighed, wondering what she was getting herself into. *Perhaps this is a bad idea, she mused.*  
  
There was a moment's pause as Marania glanced over her shoulder. An odd smile graced her lips.  
  
"You will not get far on your own," she predicted. "But I will go with you to help."  
  
Wendy smiled gratefully. Though the eyes troubled Wendy greatly, the girl did not seem as intimidating as Kristin.  
  
"I would truly appreciate it," Wendy said.  
  
The island of Bali Hai was fast approaching. It seemed to Wendy, to be the epitome of paradise, enshrouded in thin blue-green mist making it mysterious and dangerous- and completely compelling. Wendy could not have escaped the island's enchantment if she had wanted to.  
  
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At no point in his earlier conversation with Kristin did Nathan voice any of the questions he had for her.  
  
Kristin woefully told him of her "responsibilities" that she neglected during the first tour. She did not elaborate on what those responsibilities were or what she had done over the last two years. She apologized profusely for breaking his trust as she did; Nathan assured her that, while confused by her sudden lack of communication, he still trusted her greatly. She didn't seem to believe that he could be so forgiving.  
  
Kristin shamefully admitted that she maintained contact with one person of the crew religiously and that it was Katie. He was rather hurt by the admission but said he understood. He did- at least somewhat. Again, Kristin didn't seem to believe this.  
  
There came a point in the conversation, after he repeatedly ensured her that they would put the past behind them and begin again, that she seemed on the verge of telling him something. She sat there on the edge on the bench on the boardwalk, fidgeting with the hem of her tank top in clear conflict over something. She opened her mouth to speak, but her jaw snapped shut. Instead of saying anything, she just stared at him with those eyes. Those eyes that in that instant held all the sadness of the world.  
  
Nathan sighed wearily as he thought of the current CMO and the accusations she had brought against Kristin. Accusations that she could not even properly verbalize much less substantiate. It seemed as though Wendy was jealous of Kristin, though he was unsure why. He imagined that the situation would only worsen once Wendy was informed that Secretary General Corbin had reinstated Kristin as CMO effective immediately.  
  
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Wendy, along with Marania, followed Kristin into a rather unsophisticated village. In fact the town looked much like those that Cook would have seen when he first discovered the islands. They did not seem to belong to the twenty-first century.  
  
Kristin stopped in the marketplace and immediately struck up a conversation with a local woman that surprised Wendy due to the hostilities she had already endured. It was clear to Wendy that her presence on the isle was resented and Marania was the only thing protecting her from the punish that befell those who trespass on Bali Hai. Kristin, on the other hand, seemed immune to all this.  
  
The local woman wearing many leis and flowers in her silver hair laughed at something Kristin told her. She fondly patted the doctor's cheek, and with a swift graceful movement, pulled a flower from her hair and tucked it behind Kristin's ear. Kristin smiled almost shyly and gave the woman's cheek a kiss of gratitude.  
  
The old woman seemed so kind that Wendy was eager to speak to her once Kristin was gone. Marania, however, advised against it.  
  
"She will not be so understanding if you speak to her first," the girl informed her.  
  
Indeed she wasn't. The duo passed by the woman as they continued after Kristin, and she gave Wendy a black glare. The young doctor shivered as she again saw those eyes.  
  
For once, Kristin did not seem to know where she was going, and this, for some inexplicable reason, gave Wendy satisfaction. Kristin stopped at a small booth set up outside of a thatched roof hut. The man at the booth eyed her suspiciously.  
  
"E?" the man did not seem to like Kristin much, which delighted Wendy. It was about time that someone was resistant to Kristin's charm. In addition to this, the man did not seem to speak English, which would make it difficult for Kristin to communicate with him.  
  
"Hina'aro vau e parau ia Malia," Kristin told him.  
  
The man seemed as surprised as Wendy that Kristin spoke Tahitian.  
  
"Tapiti?" The man stared the doctor.  
  
"What?" Wendy was floored by the British doctor's knowledge of such an unusual tongue.  
  
Marania looked at her.  
  
"He asked her to repeat her question," Marania translated, surprised by Wendy's surprise. She did not think it was odd that Kristin her native language.  
  
"What did she ask?" Wendy asked the girl.  
  
"She said she wants to speak to Malia." Marania turned her attention back to Kristin.  
  
"O vai to oe i'oa?" The man stood up to face the doctor. At full height, he towered over Kristin. It didn't bother her in the least.  
  
"O Kristin Westphalen to'u i'oa," she responded coolly.  
  
"He asked her name and she told him," Marania explained at the sight of the confused look that Wendy gave her.  
  
"E?" the man exclaimed excitedly. "E, maita'i oe?"  
  
"Maita'i vau," Kristin replied smiling warmly.  
  
The man was now very enthusiastic to accommodate her in any way. They continued talking for a few minutes, before the man gestured for her to follow him.  
  
"Where are they going?" Wendy asked craning her neck to see beyond the corner that Kristin had disappeared around.  
  
Marania's brown eyes suddenly became very black and cold. Her demeanor changed to stony aloofness.  
  
"It does not matter," she responded dryly. "Where they are going you can go. It is tabu."  
  
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Lucas was bored. He had been bored since early afternoon. The captain was in his bungalow taking a nap, Ben and Katie were in Tahiti, and the others were off doing their own thing. Being rather lonely, he decided to search out Kristin, but had no luck finding her. A captain of a small fishing boat whose name was Tunui informed Lucas that Kristin had gone to Bali Hai for the day, but assured him that she would return by sunset.  
  
He was disappointed. He had hoped to spend part of the day with her. Lucas blew his bangs out of his face. Oh, well, he had the next day to look forward to- Kristin promised that she would be exclusively his.  
  
Contemplating ways to amuse himself, Lucas suddenly realized what an opportunity he had on his hands. With all the adults occupied, there was no one to tell him not to go off exploring Moorea. And that was exactly what he decided to do.  
  
Moorea was everything Lucas ever expected a tropical island to be. It was exotic and completely intoxicating. Lucas almost wished they never had to leave.  
  
He had already seen the town, so Lucas decided to do some exploring off the beaten trail. He found what he wanted nearly a mile and a half outside of the village they were staying in. Thick dense foliage covered the entrance to a forbidden looking forest. Wild hibiscus and plumeria wove themselves into the bars of a rusty, ancient gate. The gate was so hidden that Lucas had to push back the vines of the flowers in order to see it.  
  
*No way* Lucas thought excitedly. *This is too cool!*  
  
He fought for several minutes trying to free the gate from the plants that shackled it. It took all of his strength to force the gateway open. In his anticipation to see what lie beyond the portal, Lucas failed to see the rudimentary sign that read: TABU!  
  
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"Most people live on a lonely island,  
  
Lost in the middle of a foggy sea.  
  
Most people long for another island,  
  
One where they know they will like to be.  
  
Bali Ha'i may call you,  
  
Any night, any day,  
  
In your heart, you'll hear it call you:  
  
'Come away...Come away.' Bali Ha'i will whisper  
  
In the wind of the sea:  
  
"Here am I, your special island!  
  
Come to me, come to me!"  
  
Your own special hopes,  
  
Your own special dreams,  
  
Bloom on the hillside  
  
And shine in the streams.  
  
If you try, you'll find me  
  
Where the sky meets the sea.  
  
'Here am I your special island  
  
Come to me, Come to me.''"  
  
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Kristin stepped up to the door of a large bungalow and sighed. She raised her hand to knock on the wooden door, but paused in mid-air.  
  
She stood there, absorbing the sunlight and island air, letting the ocean breeze lift her hair from her shoulders.  
  
*It's so good to be home* she thought.  
  
This time she did knock on the door. She could here the sound of bare feet scuffling across the floor on the other side of the door. She smiled.  
  
The door was flung open suddenly. A mountainous brown woman in a yellow pareu with her long black hair up in a topknot stood across the threshold, a look of astonishment frozen on her face.  
  
Kristin's smile widened.  
  
"Malia," she said quietly.  
  
The woman clapped her hands together.  
  
"Oh," she breathed as joy spread over her face. "Oh, Kris. You come back!"  
  
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Tabu: Forbidden  
  
The language that Kristin and the islanders speak is Tahitian. 


End file.
